How to Find a Roommate at USC
When admitted to college, one of the first things students get excited about is finding their roommates. Living with a roommate is a great opportunity to meet new people and learn from others and their shared experiences. However, each student will have different expectations about what their ideal roommate relationship will look like. While some students just want someone who is easy to live with, others are looking for a new best friend. Either of these options are possible--as well as anything in between. Overall, the important thing is learning to adjust to new people.
If you are coming to USC with someone you already wish to have as your roommate, you can submit a roommate request within your USC Housing application. You can do so by creating a roommate group and adding those students to your application by entering their screen name(s) and/or 10-digit USC ID number(s). For your request to be considered, it must
be for another student in your same class standing category (Freshman, Undergraduate, or Graduate);
list exactly the same housing preferences as the requested roommate, including any Living Learning Community or graduate program;
be mutual (all students are submitting requests for each other).
While these requests will be heavily considered, it’s important to note that roommate requests cannot be guaranteed.
If you do not want a random roommate but have not met anyone you would like to live with yet, USC Housing offers an Online Roommate Matching program through their website. For new freshmen (only) who are starting in the fall, roommates are matched based on their profiles and building preferences. However, all applicants, including new freshmen, can use our online tools to search for and contact potential roommates, and then request them. You will provide information about yourself and your living preferences in your profile and will be presented with possible roommate matches. You will see potential roommates’ screen names and be able to review their answers to the profile questions. Using screen names, you can then contact anyone you think might be a good match for you. If you find someone compatible, log in to the online application and create a roommate group. USC Housing will make every effort to honor your request but cannot guarantee that it will be fulfilled. For students looking for roommates in off-campus housing, please refer to the USC Off-Campus Housing portal.
Roommate selection during the housing process is also completely optional. Students can abstain from roommate selection, signing themselves up for the random roommate selection process. If you did not request a specific roommate, and you are a new graduate student, a transferring undergraduate or a new freshman who applied after the early May application deadline, your roommate(s) will be assigned based on gender and building assignment. Unlike requested roommates, these matches are subject to change as students are reassigned.
While all of these resources are official through USC Housing, plenty of students meet their roommates by attending USC Admitted Student Events and by interacting with other admitted students across various social media platforms. No matter which path you end up taking, know that there are plenty of resources readily available to you to make the roommate selection process as smooth as possible.
Written by: Lucy Jordan - Assistant Director, USC Office of Undergraduate Admission